MINUTES LAS VEGAS-CLARK COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (Approved June 9, 2005) The Board of Trustees of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District met in regular session in the Las Vegas Library, Las Vegas, Nevada, at 6:00 p.m., Thursday,. Present: Board: E. Sanchez L. Overstreet V. Davis-Hoggard F. Sponer A. Arthurholtz A. Aguirre T. Wong K. Benavidez K. Carter Counsel: Absent: G. Welt L. Harala Staff: Guests: Daniel L. Walters, Executive Director Numerous Staff Consul Mariano Lemus Gas E. Sanchez, Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:15 p.m. Roll Call All members listed above represent a quorum. Agenda Trustee Davis-Hoggard moved to approve the Agenda as proposed. There was no opposition and the motion carried. Approval of Proposed Minutes Regular Session, April 14, 2005 and Finance and Audit Committee Meeting, April 14, 2005. Chair Sanchez moved to approve the Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting held April 14, 2005. There was no opposition and the motion carried. Chair Sanchez moved to approve the Minutes of the Finance and Audit Committee Meeting held April 14, 2005. There was no opposition from Committee members and the motion carried. Chair s Report (Item IV.) Consul Mariano Lemus Gas, of the Consulate of Mexico, presented the District with numerous copies of children s books in Spanish. He was pleased to see the diverse representation of the Board members and pointed out that the books were for the use of all children, not just Hispanics. He also generously offered to make more books available for the District if the need should arise. Chair Sanchez reported on the District s participation at the Nevada Library Association s Legislative Day. She stated that it was a great opportunity for the District to meet legislators in person and to get to
Page 2 know other librarians as a group within the state. The Clark County Commissioners approved the Henderson boundary change on Tuesday, May 17. Because of the time limitations, Chair Sanchez rearranged the order of the Agenda. Public Hearing on the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2005-2006. (Item VII.A.) Deputy Director, C.F.O. Fred James presented this item. NRS. 354.596 require that a Public Hearing on the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Proposed Budget be held on the third Thursday in May. The Tentative Budget was filed with the State Department of Taxation on April 15, 2005, following review and discussion by the Finance and Audit Committee and Board of Trustees on April 14, 2005 Assisting Mr. James with the Public Hearing were Robb Morss, Marie Cuglietta, Steve Rice and Al Prendergast. Mr. James began the presentation by saying that the Proposed Budget was developed to provide funding for the first year of the Board s new Strategic Service Plan for fiscal years beginning 2005-2008. The success of the Board s previous Strategic Plan led to dramatic increases in library use. However, the attempt to receive voters approval for a new bond issue to provide library services to underserved areas in the District was not successful. The proposed budget also addresses two major developments that occurred during FY 2004-2005. The first is the Interlocal agreement between the LVCCLD and the HDPL which adjusted the boundaries of the HDPL to be coterminous with the City of Henderson. The second major development that was addressed during the budgeting process was the passage of a temporary cap on tax revenue as a result of the tremendous increase in property value in Clark County. The new Service Plan for FY 05-08 contains new strategies to meet the challenges of growth and to improve efficiencies with existing resources within the constraints. The Proposed Budget reflects a hold the line approach with regard to expenditures, in order to continue to allocate a significant portion of new general fund revenue for future capital projects to maintain and repair District buildings and infrastructure and to provide for limited future improvements in high growth areas. The programs are fundamental to the District s ability to implement the recommendation of its Strategic Service Plan to develop a major efficiencies program to help contain long-term operating costs and allow the District to maintain present service quality levels in an uncertain
Page 3 funding environment. The total revenue from all funds is $58.7 million. This includes the four major fund groups of General Fund reserves, Capital Projects Fund reserves, Special Revenue Fund reserves and the Debt Service Fund reserves. All Funds revenues are discussed in the Proposed Budget document distributed to Trustees. Public and Support Services include Branch and related services as well as Collection Development. Acting Deputy Director Robb Morss was introduced to discuss details of adjustment to the Budget for Public Services. Mr. Morss stated that during preparation for this year s budget, staff was asked to hold operating costs down when making requests in order for the District to meet its goal of generating capital to invest in future efficiency issues and future capital projects for underserved areas. But in light of the 93% increase in circulation over the past four years, in addition to the new strategies called for in the new Strategic Plan, it was determined that there was a need for additional staff as well as some nonrecurring costs such as equipment and furnishings. Staffing is proposed to increase this year by 8.65 FTEs. New positions include part time pages, various part time circulation staff, YPL, and computer center staff as well as a new Regional Branch Services Director and a Collection Development Librarian. Proposed equipment purchases include new public copiers for eight branches, new book returns for the Sunrise Library and Bunkerville Library and new furniture for the Sunrise Library and West Las Vegas Library. Collection Development Director Marie Cuglietta presented the proposed materials budget for the coming year which is allocated at $9,435,344 million or 20% of the general fund. It is designed to support the Strategic Plan goals for 2005-2008. This amount reflects an 8.4% increase over the previous year. In support of the Strategic Plan, the District will continue to purchase popular materials in print and in audio visual formats, with proposed increases in electronic resources and juvenile areas for homework help for grades K-8. The allocation for electronic resources, which is 11% of the budget, will help to incorporate reference titles previously only available in print format, and support the retention and acquisition of new databases and ebooks, many which support curriculum or lifelong learning needs of the community. Also in support of the Strategic Plan, the budget calls for more curriculum support materials for youth in print and non-print formats, with 20% of the budget allocated for youth print materials, and 5% for audio visual materials.
Page 4 While print format still out-circulates audio visual formats, such as DVD and CD, audio visual checkouts steadily increase each year, as more and more patrons prefer audio visual formats for learning and recreational purposes. These formats, while likely to increase circulation and foot traffic, offer both opportunities and challenges to the District. Continuing the presentation, General Services Director Steve Rice addressed proposed General Services budget requests. Each year the District budgets to make needed repairs and minor improvements to the facilities. As the facilities age, the needs increase. This next FY staff proposes allocating $524,000 which will fund 57 projects. The general categories of repairs and improvements are: HVAC repairs, interior and exterior painting, furniture reupholstering, parking lot sealing, roof repairs, carpet replacement, landscape improvements and other miscellaneous projects. $500,000 is being allocated to fund necessary improvements required for the initial implementation of the self-check feature of the new Integrated Library System (ILS). The dramatic increase in circulation has meant a dramatic increase in foot traffic in District facilities, which means greater wear and tear. It also means more bathroom supplies have be provided and more dirt has to be cleaned. Staff is proposing allocating an additional $289,000 to cover increased costs and to enhance janitorial service specifications to meet the increased demands. There is an on-going need to replace aging equipment in the theaters, and $39,000 is proposed to replace equipment at the Rainbow, Sunrise and West Las Vegas branches. And finally, $13,900 is proposed to be allocated for the purchase of equipment to support facilities maintenance activities which includes a carpet extractor, pallet stacker and HVAC balometer. C.F.O. Fred James continued the presentation by explaining the proposed $5 million transfer from the General Fund to Capital Project Fund for capital programs including technology replacements and upgrades for $1 million, building repair and maintenance for $1 million and capital construction for $3 million. The General Fund budget includes an Ending Fund Balance of $2.4 million or 5% of 2005-2006 expenditures. The Ending Fund Balance maintains the District s target that is necessary to provide for payroll expenses and other expenditures during the year until tax revenues have been distributed. An excess balance above 8% may be used for capital improvements or to cover revenue shortfall in future years. Acting Deputy Director Robb Morss continued the presentation focusing
Page 5 on the Capital Projects program stating that of the $2.8 million available in the Integrated Library Systems program, $2.2 million has been appropriated to implement the new ILS. The funds have been carried over from last year as the District is now in the final stages of negotiation with the vendor with the hope of bringing a proposal to the Board with the next month or two. Full implementation of the new ILS is planned for January 2006. The new ILS will allow LVCCLD to improve service and increase service delivery as called for in the new Strategic Plan. Self checkout and self service reserve pick ups are just two of the efficiencies that will be available when the new ILS is on-line. Any funds remaining after the implementation will be used to fund materials handling solutions to help expedite the transfer of materials between branches for patrons, which accounted to close to 4 million items last year. Information Technology Director Al Prendergast was introduced to give a breakdown of the figures for the technology replacement and upgrades. The Technology Replacement and Upgrades Fund will have $2.2 million available, pending the transfer of $1 million into the fund. Of the $2.2 million, $470,000 will be allocated for the coming fiscal year, 2005-2006. The remaining $1.8 million will be allocated to subsequent budget years. With a replacement cycle of five years and an installation base of over 1100 computers, printers, and servers, it is estimated that $500,000 will be required annually to keep the technology infrastructure current. General Services Director, Steve Rice, continued the presentation by going into detail about the Building Repair and Maintenance fund which is designated for major capital repairs to building systems and components required as the buildings age. Of the available resources of $2.3 million, $345,000 is being allocated in the next fiscal year to replace the chiller at the Summerlin Library and to upgrade the HVAC building controls at the Las Vegas Library. The remaining $2 million will be used for required repairs over the next four years. The Capital Construction Fund is designated for major construction and renovation projects required to accomplish the Facilities Strategic Initiative and Efficiencies Recommendations outlined in the new Strategic Service Plan. Of the available resources of $8.7 million, Staff is proposing allocating $1.75 million in the next fiscal year to perform design and preliminary construction work for the renovation of current facilities and construction of a new library branch and possible Centralized Materials Distribution Center.
Page 6 The remaining $7 million will be applied in subsequent budget years to accomplish the renovation of current facilities, which is estimated to cost up to $750,000 per branch. The construction of a new library branch which, at 25,000 sq. ft., could cost up to $9.5 million in today s market and the construction of a possible new Centralized Materials Distribution Center which, at 25,000 sq. ft., could cost up to $6 million in today s market. An engineering consultant will be working with the District over the next several weeks to update construction cost estimates from those developed for the 2003 bond issue proposal. More accurate cost estimates for the renovations will be developed after the preliminary design work is completed for each facility. Public Comment Regarding Proposed Budget (Item VII.A.) Discussion and possible Board action to adopt the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2005-2006. (Item VII.B.) None. Chair Sanchez moved to close the Public Hearing at 6:40 p.m. There was no discussion and the motion carried. Chair Sanchez moved to adopt the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2005-2006. There was no opposition and the motion was approved. Executive Director s Report (Item V.A.) Executive Director Walters expressed appreciation to the Trustees who traveled to Carson City and to the numerous other government officials who were of assistance to the District in resolving the boundary issues with Henderson. Walters noted that the District was recognized with a second place award in the Non-profit and Government category for Best Places to Work at the Southern Nevada Human Resources Association luncheon on May 6. The District was recognized for its diversity initiatives, support of employees and training programs among other progressive employment practices. Appreciation was also given to the Business Office staff and Marketing Department for meeting the deadlines required in putting together the Proposed Budget.
Page 7 Chair Sanchez moved to accept Reports V.A. 1-7. There was no opposition and the reports were accepted. Public Services and Security Report (Item V.A.1.) Business Office Report (Item V.A.2.) Human Resources Report (Item V.A.3.) Technology Report (Item V.A.4.) General Services Report (Item V.A.5.) Marketing Report (Item V.A.6.) Development Report (Item V.A.7.) Unfinished Business (Item VI.) Discussion and possible Board action regarding the Chair s call for nominations to form a Nominating Committee for Board officers for Fiscal Year 2005-2006. (Item VII.C.) Discussion regarding the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District s 2004-2005 Community Outreach Report as None Chair Sanchez called for Trustees to express their interest in being on the Nominating Committee. Trustees Arthurholtz, Benavidez and Wong stated that they would like to serve on the committee. Chair Sanchez moved to accept Trustees Arthurholtz, Benavidez and Wong as the Nominating Committee. There was no opposition and the motion was carried. Chair Sanchez designated Trustee Arthurholtz to be the Nominating Committee Chair. This item was presented for Trustees information. Acting Deputy Director Robb Morss introduced Carl Rowe, of Clarity Advisors to Management. Mr. Rowe presented a detailed summary of findings that were garnered from a series of community meetings held at each of the urban branches to determine prevailing views of the District and its services. A copy of the full report had been distributed to Trustees.
Page 8 prepared by Clarity: Advisors to management. (Item VII.D.) Having been involved with the community outreach portion of the District s strategic planning in 2000, Mr. Rowe described the current findings to be a study in contrasts. During the original series, the meetings were attended by large numbers of people and much of the sentiment involved a deep dissatisfaction with the District s practices and even a sense of hostility toward how the District had operated the libraries over the previous years. In spite of a large and extensive outreach effort, the most recent meetings were rather sparsely attended and criticism of the District s practices was virtually non-existent. Mr. Rowe stated that it was his experience in conducting organizational assessments and evaluations that people much more enthusiastically talk about an organization s problems and shortcomings than they do about its positive attributes. The survey found that over 80% of respondents to a random sample survey were extremely satisfied or very satisfied with library services. It was clear that the community has an extremely favorable view of its public libraries. Their only real concerns are that the libraries be able to provide more of the same, and/or better, services and resources. Trustee Wong asked if very many of the patrons were aware that LVCCLD had been designated Library of the Year. Rowe answered that in general, it was not known. There were no further comments. Discussion and possible Board action to adopt the Final Report of the Strategic Service Plan for the FY 2005-2008. (Item VII.E.) Announcements (Item VIII.) Acting Deputy Director Robb Morss presented this item. Chair Sanchez moved to adopt the final report of the Strategic Service Plan for the FY 2005-2008. There was no opposition and the motion was approved. Trustee Overstreet reminded the Board that the Joint Chamber Luncheon is being held on Thursday, May 26, at the Paris Hotel. Trustee Sponer congratulated the staff for their work on completing the Budget and the Strategic Plan. The next regular Board Meeting will be held Thursday, June 9, 2005 in the Clark County Library at 6:00 p.m. The Nominating Committee will be scheduled before the next Board meeting. Public Comment (Item IX.) Adjournment (Item X.) Respectfully submitted, None. Chair Sanchez moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m. There was no opposition and the motion carried. Ken Carter, Secretary